Model student Qiyue and free-spirited Ansheng are the best of friends, forming their inseparable bond from the moment they met as children. Soon their loyalties are put to the test when a boy and the cruelties of youth lead them down separate paths. Poignant, poetic and unforgivingly intimate, Soul Mate is Hong Kong director Derek Tsang and producer Peter Chan’s heartfelt contribution to mainland Chinese and Hong Kong co-productions.

The Tsukiji Fish Market in central Tokyo is lauded as the world’s largest fish and seafood market. In an effort that never ceases, Tsukiji caters to the needs of demanding professionals, offering more than 400 types of seafood and ensuring customers the best quality fish. In his feature debut, Naotaro Endo documents this centre of seafood culture, which has been a cornerstone of the modern Japanese food world.

Join award-winning Chef, Sang Kim, after the screening of Tsukiji Wonderland as he walks us through the history of sushi and how the Edo style, through the influence of Tsukiji Market, established itself as THE form of sushi consumed in North America. This will be followed by a live demonstration of various kinds of traditional and modern sushi rolls on stage.

Following several rappers, director Salima Koroma paints a portrait of what it means to be Asian in North America’s hip-hop culture. Facing stereotypes, rappers Dumbfoundead, Awkwafina, Rekstizzy, and Lyricks (to a name a few) are caught in the constant battle of who they are versus how the public sees them. Koroma’s rappers push boundaries that have been set by a predominantly non-Asian culture and in a media landscape characterized by a serious lack of diversity, Bad Rap delivers the message that we can be anything we want to be, despite what others think.

In 1920, a young Tyrus Wong and his father emigrated from China to California. Upon arriving in the USA, Wong was temporarily detained as a result of the Chinese Exclusion Act, a memory which would stay with the 9-year-old for years. Later in his 20s, at a time when most Chinese Americans were employed as restaurant or laundromat workers, Wong defied all barriers to become one of the few Asian Americans to be employed as a sketch artist at Disney, working in the movie industry for over three decades and ultimately inspiring the unique look and feel of Bambi.

In a special collaboration with the Hong Kong Arts Centre (HKAC), Reel Asian presents three award-winning short films about family, gender, and finding love in the age of artificial intelligence. Pulse of Hong Kong marks the inaugural programming exchange between HKAC and Reel Asian.